Filing-case.



G. A. CHAMBERS.

FILING CASE.

APPLIOATION IILED'MAY 2a, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented Apr. 16, 1912.

BIA FLANOGRAPH CO WASH G. A. CHAMBERS.

FILING CASE.

I I 1 APPLICATION FILED MAY 26, 1916. 1,023,297. Patented Apr. 16, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 GEORGE A. CHAMBERS, OF NEW YORK,

CHINERY COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N.

N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO MONT'AG-UE MAILING MA- Y., A CORPORATION OF TENNESSEE.

FILING-CASE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 16, 1912.

Application filed May 26, 1910. Serial No. 563,587.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. CHAM- BERS, citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Filing-Cases, of which the following is a specification. s

My invention relates to the storage of printing plates for use in addressing machinery, and particularly to a filing case for receiving a series of trays in which the printing plates are packed, my object being to provide a labor saving device for holding a number of the trays so that they, together with the plates packed therein, can be car ried from place to place conveniently and without danger of the printing plates becoming disarranged, and without danger of dropping the trays.

The invention consists in the features of construction and combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure l is a front view of a filing case embodying my invention, and with the trays omitted; Fig. 2 is a similar view to Fig. 1 with the trays in place; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the filing case; Fig. l is a horizontal sectional view of the filing case; Fig. 5 is a view of the plate holder or tray.

In these drawings, 1 indicates a metallic frame of wire of substantially rectangular form, one of these frames being used at each end of the filing case. The sides of the filing case are made of sheet metal in sec tions indicated at 2, 3, 4: and 5. The upper section is formed with an overhanging flange or strip 6 which extends part way from the side of the filing case across the top, leaving, however, a wide, central longitudinal opening at 7 The upper section has the ends of its side 2 bent around the end frames, and the top flange 6 has its end portions bent around the transverse or horizontal portions of the end frames. The next two side sections 3 and 4 below the upper section 2 are formed each with their end portions bent around the vertically extending sides of the end frames, and the bottom section 5 is of channel form having upwardly extending sides and a bottom plate 8 extending clear across from side to side of the filing case, this bottom plate having its end portion formed into an eye embracing the lower transverse cross bar of the end frames, and its upstanding sides are each formed into an elongated eye embracing the vertically extending portions of the wire end frames. The upper side member 2 of the casing has at its lower edge an inwardly turned flange 9 extending only a short distance transversely of the casing, but extending all the way from end to end thereof. This flange is of substantially the same width as the top flange 6. Each of the side sections 3 and 4: also has an inwardly turned flange of the same width and length as the flange 9 of the upper section, and the lower section of the side wall of the casing is also provided with an inwardly extending flange. The flanges of the adjacent side sections lie one upon the other, and provide strong or stiff ledges for receiving the trays which hold the printing plates. These trays are shown generally at 10 in Fig. 2, and each is provided with a follower shown at 11 for controlling the position of the printing plates in the trays, which printing plates are shown generally at 13. The height or distance between the supporting flanges on the inner side of the filing case is such as to conveniently receive the trays and the printing plates set up on edge, so that the trays may be readily slid along the supporting flanges into proper position or removed therefrom without liability of sticking in the channels formed by these flanges of the side plates of the filing case. At the front of the filing case the side plates are in line with the inner sides of the wire frame; that is to say, the eyes or clips which join the side plates to the wire frame are turned outwardly around the said frame, or, in other words, from the inner side to the outer side of the casing, whereas at the rear of the casing these eyes or connecting clips are turned from the outer side of the casing inwardly around the vertical bars of the end frame, and the eyes of the upper flanges 6 are arranged in a like relation, those at the front being turned outwardly and those at the rear being turned inwardly in respect to the cross bars of the end frames. By reason of this construction the front end of the casing will present a slightly flaring opening to receive the trays, while at the rear the end frame, together with the inwardly turned eyes or connecting clips, form stops extending across the channels in which the trays are slid, so as to limit the inward movement of the trays, and when these trays are in place, these stops will prevent longitudinal dislodgment of the trays in respect to the casing in a rearward direct-ion.

In order to prevent the accidental dislodgment or movement of the trays from the casing at the front thereof, I provide a locking arm 14 formed of sheet metal and pivoted to the lower cross bar of the end frame byturning a portion'of the said arm in the form of an eye about this cross bar, the said locking bar at its upper end having a spring finger 15 with a socket portion 16 adapted to be sprung into connection with the top cross bar of the end frame, and as this locking arm extends all the way from the bottom to the top and centrally of the or dislodgment of the tray from its receiving channel in the filing case.

Each filing case is adapted to receive a number of trays, this number being arbitrary, and while I have shown a case adapted to receive four trays, I do not limit myself in this respect. The filing cases are adapted to be put away in a suitable cabinet sideby side, and when the printing plates are to be used, the attendant can draw the desired filing cases from the cabinet, and by grasping the upper cross bars of the end frames which serve as handles, he can conveniently carry the case to the machine without danger of dropping any of the trays, as they will be held locked in place until the locking arm is sprung down.

It will be observed that the top of the filing case is open and access to the plates in the top tray may be had at any time, and this is true also of the trays in the channels wvhen the upper trays are removed, as the supporting flanges extend only part way across the filing case, leaving a central opening from end to end.

The plate holder or tray with which my invention is adapted to be used is preferably of the same form as shown in Fig. 5, though I do not wish to limit myself in'this respect.

It will be seen that while I have referred to the sides as being formed in sections, I do not limit myself to any particular construction of these sections, but would prefer to form them as shown with their flanges formed by bending the metal back upon itself, the sections being integrally connected with each other by means of these flanges composed of the doubled portions; In other words, the sides and bottom, and a portion of the top of the case are all formed in one piece, being united together by the double flanges which form the line of demarcation between one section and another.

I clalm as my mventionz A filing case consisting of open end frames.

of wire, and metal sides having flanges eX- tending from end frame to end frame, and formed integrally by doubling the metal of the sides upon itself, the vertical edges of the side plates between the horizontal flanges being bent around the vertical side portions of the end frames, the rear end frame being smaller than the forward end frame with the metal of the sides bent in wardly around the smaller rear frame and outwardly around the front frame, the said sides being substantially parallel and the said rear frame forming stops to limit the movement of the contained articles along the flanges, and a locking arm having a portion embracing the lower bar of the front frame and forming a pivot for said locking bar, the said locking bar, at its upper end, having a hook portion formed by bending said end to engage the upper bar.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE A. CHAMBERS. Witnesses:

H. T. TIDD, LOUIS A. GAsErIELD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

